Primary owner vs multiple owners on YouTube
One name holds final control, but a channel can have several owners alongside it.
Is this your situation?
You see several people listed as owners of a Brand Account and wonder who is actually in charge. You want to know what makes the primary owner different from the other owners.
What it is
A Brand Account can have multiple owners and managers. Owners of a Brand Account can take the most actions and control who manages the account. A Brand Account must have one primary owner. Any manager or owner of a Brand Account can access the YouTube channel connected to that Brand Account. If other owners are added to a Brand Account channel, they can take full actions on the channel, including deleting the channel.
How YouTube handles this
- Owners added to a Brand Account channel can remove other owners.
- You must be an owner for 7 days before you can remove managers or owners.
- As the owner, you can assign yourself as the primary owner after 7 days as owner.
- It is recommended to have at least one other owner besides the primary owner.
- It is the channel owner's responsibility to know their Brand Account's ownership details.
Side by side
| Role | Can do | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Primary owner | Has no limitations. | A Brand Account must have one primary owner. |
| Owner | Takes the most actions and controls who manages the account. | Can remove other owners. |
| Manager | Can use Google services that support Brand Accounts, like YouTube. | Managers will not have the option to change the primary owner role (Desktop). |
| Communications manager | Can do the same things as Managers. | Cannot use YouTube. |
Common mistakes
- Assuming any owner can transfer primary ownership right away You must be an owner for 7 days or more before you can remove managers or owners.Why it happens: Under 7 days as owner, removing someone gives an error.Already happened: If access may already be lost — Someone removed me from my YouTube channel
- Thinking a manager can change the primary owner Managers will not have the option to change the primary owner role on desktop.Why it happens: Restricted to owners.
- Leaving only one owner on the account It is recommended to have at least one other owner besides the primary owner.Why it happens: No second owner is added, and losing the primary owner leaves the account without a clear path to control.
If this changes who is in control
You are deciding who to add or remove as an owner of the Brand Account and its connected channel. Review your current owner list and consider adding a backup owner before a gap in control appears.
Quick reference
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who takes the most actions? | Owners can take the most actions and control who manages the account. |
| How many primary owners? | A Brand Account must have one primary owner. |
| Can owners remove other owners? | Owners added to a Brand Account channel can remove other owners. |
| How long as owner before removing others? | You must be an owner for 7 days before removing managers or owners. |
| Can managers change the primary owner? | Managers will not have the option to change the primary owner role on desktop. |
| Is a second owner recommended? | It is recommended to have at least one other owner besides the primary owner. |
| Whose responsibility is ownership knowledge? | It is the channel owner's responsibility to know their Brand Account's ownership details. |
Frequently asked questions
Can a Brand Account have more than one owner?
A Brand Account can have multiple owners and managers.
Can any owner remove another owner?
Owners added to a Brand Account channel can remove other owners.
Can a manager become the primary owner directly?
Managers will not have the option to change the primary owner role on a Brand Account on desktop.
What can a primary owner do that other owners cannot?
Under Brand Account roles, the primary owner role has no limitations.
Keeping track of who has access
Confusion over who holds control builds as owners and managers are added and removed over time. Delvia keeps a clear record of who holds each role on your channel.
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